The Journey to Love
by wizardpuff
Summary: Albus Potter makes a new friend at hogwarts, but can they be more? warning: includes slash


chapter 1. the journey

Albus Potter looked out the window as the Hogwarts express turned the corner out of platform 9 ¾. After the platform vanished from sight, he sat back down in his seat. 'this is it,' he thought to himself, 'I'm going to Hogwarts.'

For the next hour he just sat there, going over and over in his head the conversation he had on the platform with his father.

"_What if I'm in Slytherin?" "Albus Severus, you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew." "but just say –" "then Slytherin House will have gained an excellent student, won't it? It doesn't matter to us, Al. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account." "really?" "it did for me."_

Albus couldn't help but believe that his parents wouldn't care if he was in slytherin. The real problem was James. If Albus was sorted into Slytherin, then James would never let him live it down. It was all very well for James, he's already starting his third year.

No matter what he thought, Albus's worry about being sorted into Slytherin wouldn't be quelled.

Suddenly the door opened and the one person he was not expecting to come, came. Scorpius Malfoy looked hesitant as he asked, "do you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full. I've been dragging my trunk along the entire train."

"Sure, no problem. Let me help you with your trunk," said Albus.

And so, with difficulty, they managed to haul the trunk into the compartment and up next to Albus's.

The two sat back down, across from each other, and there was an awkward silence. After a minute or two, Scorpius plucked up the courage to start conversation. "I'm scorpius," he said, "and you're Albus Potter, right?"

Shocked, Albus replied, "yes, I am. How did you know?"

"My dad pointed you out to me on the platform," replied Scorpius.

After another minute or two, it was Albus's turn to be brave in the conversation.

"Look, I know our fathers didn't exactly get along when they were at Hogwarts," said Albus, "but that's no reason why we can't be friends. I mean we are different people."

"I agree," said Scorpius.

And so for almost the rest of the journey, they talked. The talked just as easily as friends could. There was no more awkwardness. When the lunch trolley came they both bought some of everything and shared it all. They were becoming much closer to each other than either of them thought they ever would. They were friends. That's all there is to it.

After a while of eating and talking, the door to the compartment opened once more. Standing in the doorway, with a look of polite surprise on her face, was Rose Weasley.

"Hey Rose, have a seat," offered Albus. Once she sat down, she looked quizzically at Albus, then to Scorpius, then back to Albus. However, instead of asking the question that both boys thought she was going to ask, she instead said, " hello Scorpius, I'm Rose. Rose Weasley." Scorpius, who was expecting hostility, was taken aback.

For the rest of the journey, the three sat and talked and bonded. The three of them were becoming good friends and when the train came to a stop in Hogsmeade they all disembarked, with looks of nervous excitement on their faces.

When they heard Hagrid calling all the first year toward the boats, Albus got more nervous. Albus, Rose, and Scorpius, got a boat to themselves and set sail for Hogwarts. Albus got more and more nervous the closer they got to the castle, and once the entire castle was in view, the towers and turrets, lights in the windows blazing in the night he was overcome with such paralyzing nerves, that he froze up. Then he felt a hand on his arm, he looked and saw Scorpius giving him a comforting smile, and he knew, no matter what house he was in, as long has Scorpius was his friend, everything will be all right.

Chapter 2. the sorting

On the boats sailed, closer and closer to the grand castle looming ever nearer in the night, until they reached a dock. The first years followed hagrid to a huge doorway. Hagrid knocked 3 times and the door opened to reveal a tiny wizard with a shock of white hair, who was absolutely dwarfed by hagrid. "the firs' years professor flitwick," said hagrid. "thank you, hagrid," squeaked professor flitwick with a smile. "this way please!" professor flitwick called to the first years. They followed him into a huge entrance hall that looked like it could fit an entire cathedral comfortably inside it.

They walked up to another set of huge doors, beyond which they could hear the babble of hundreds of students. The rest of the school was waiting for them. Before they entered, however, professor flitwick turned to them and said, "before you go in and take you seats with your classmates, you must be sorted into your houses. There are 4 houses, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. While you are here at Howarts, your house will be something like your family. You will take classes with your house, sleep in your house dormitories, and spend free time in your house common rooms. Your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor."

" now, if you will please follow me," said professor flitwick. They followed him through the large doors into the great hall. As they entered the great hall, many of the first years gasped. The hall was enormous, the ceiling looked like the starry night outside. There was four long tables and a fifth at the head of the hall perpendicular to the rest, so the teacher sat facing their students. Above the four students' tables were banners. One red and gold, with a lion; one yellow and black, with a badger; one blue and bronze, with an eagle; and green and silver, with a serpent. Above the teachers table was the largest banner of them all, lion, badger, eagle, and serpent united around a large letter H.

Professor Flitwick led them down the middle aisle to the front of the hall, in front of the teacher's table, where, sitting on a three-legged stool, a tattered wizards hat was waiting for them. The first years lined up in front of the hat and the teachers and waited. The entire school stared at the hat. A tear opened up at the brim and the hat started to sing.

_Once, long ago there lived the four greatest wizards of the age._

_They had a common yearning to make history, they turned the page._

_They built this great magic school, and the Hogwarts' life began._

_While they lived, they chose who they liked, but what to do when they died? BAM!_

_A light turned on, and the founders put brains in me so that I may choose when they are dead and gone._

_Now listen up and listen well, young ones_

_If in Gryffindor, you belong, then bravery and courage you do value._

_If in Hufflepuff, then you are a loyal friend pure and true._

_Or maybe in Ravenclaw, where intelligence and cleverness are highly prized._

_Or in Slytherin, cunning and ambition are revered._

_So where to put you? Well leave that up to me; for there's nothing in your heads I cant see,_

_So put me on and I shall declare where of four you will be._

_Time now for the sorting!_

The entire hall broke into applause. Now professor flitwick stepped forward with a long list and said, "when I call your name, you shall come up and put on the sorting hat."

"Abigail allandra!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Jonathan Adamson!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

then after the rest of the a's, b's and all the way up till "scorpius malfoy!" "SLYTHERIN!"

scorpius walked over to the table on the far left of the hall and sat down. As the list went on, albus began to get nervous again. When professor flitwick started with the p's he could see james watching him. Finally "albus potter!" albus walked up to the hat and put it on. "SLYTHERIN!". As albus walked over to the slytherin table he saw the shocked look on james' face. Albus sat down next to scorpius and they smiled at each other. After a while, it was Rose's turn to be sorted, james still had a shocked look on his face but stopped staring at albus long enough to see rose being sorted into "GRYFFINDOR!"

Rose took the hat off her head and went over to sit next to james. When she sat down she whispered into his ear and he shut his mouth, which had been open as he was gaping at albus.

Proffessor flitwick took the hat and stool and marched off to a door to the side of the staff table.

Once professor flitwick left the hall talk burst forth but was silenced almost immediately as the headmistress, professor sprout, got up to speak.

"Welcome everyone, to another year full of magical education. I do have some start of term announcements, but those can wait until after the feast. Dig in!"

at that moment, all the plates magically filled with the most delicious looking food albus had ever seen. He started grabbing a bit whatever was in reach. Once his plate was full he started to eat. It tasted so good that he thought it would be a crime to swallow it because then the taste would be gone.

Talk burst forth among the students in a torrent as they enjoyed their feast. For the first time all day Albus felt comfortable. As he sat there talking to scorpius he felt so happy to have a friend, his first friend. As he watched scorpius talking to him he felt something. He didn't know what it was so he brushed it off as being tired and ready for bed.

At long last the feast ended and professor sprout got back up to give the start of term notices. "well, now that we are all fed and watered, I'd like to give out a few notices. First all I'd like to remind all the students that the forest is out of bounds to all students. Also third years and above, with a signed form, may visit the village of hogsmeade on specified weekends. Additionally, all students, second year and above, who wish to try out for their house quidditch teams can give their names to their heads of house. Those who wish to commentate can do the same. Now off to bed with you. Classes start tomorrow and I'm sure you all want to be well rested. Good night."

Albus and scorpius got up with the rest of the first years and followed their prefect to their common room down in the dungeouns. After a couple minutes of walking, they reached a blank stone wall with two statues of serpents on either side. " here is the entrance to the slytherin common room," said their prefect, "make sure you remember the password, 'Salazar'." At that moment the stone wall opened up, much like the entrance to diagon alley, and they trooped into a large spacious room. The room had a high ceiling, green drapes and the slytherin banner hanging from the ceiling. It had a grandiose feel to it.

Chapter 3: looking back

Four years later albus still remembered that first night.

_Albus and scorpius entered the dorm with the other three boys in their year, gregorius nott, Alexander zabini, and nethaniel lyle. Albus stuck close to scorpius, the other boys were ok, but still looked at him as if he was prey or something. That night as they were readying themselves for bed, that feeling albus had at dinner came back. They were getting changed into their pajamas and albus had just glanced over at scorpius while chatting with him and saw him remove his shirt. Horrified at what the feeling might be, he pushed the thought from his mind and got into bed._

Platform 9 ¾ was busy as it was every year. Students scrambling onto the train, parents calling after children, smoke everywhere. It was good to be back. Albus looked around the crowded platform. His parents had already left. James had already got on with some friends, lily was talking with Hugo and rose was standing next to him. They were both looking around for their third friend, scorpius malfoy. "There he is!" shouted rose. Albus looked to where she was pointing and saw with a familiar fluttering in his stomach, the blonde hair and pointed face of his best friend. "Scorpius! Over here!" screamed rose. At the sound of his name, scorpius turned and his face broke into a big grin when he saw his two friends, with a sparkle in his eyes when he saw albus. He ran over and hugged, first rose, then albus. The fluttering feeling in albus' stomach only intensified on contact with scorpius.

After exchanging greetings the three of them hopped onto the train and made their way to an empty compartment, which they shared. All throughout the train ride, they were laughing and chatting and playing games, but albus couldn't stop looking at scorpius. The way scorpius smiled so easily, his laugh, and blonde hair falling in his eyes. A golden boy to call his own. Wait. What? Did he really just think that? Albus tried to smile and laugh but he was too scared. Scared of the thoughts going through his head and the feelings in his gut. The rest of the train ride went by and albus did his best to avoid looking at scorpius. Rose noticed the tension in his face and gave him a quizzical look. He shook his head. He was not ready to talk about it. He didn't even know what _it_ is. But he had a feeling he knew. And this made him even more scared.

At long last they arrived at hogsmeade station and got a carriage for themselves. The carriage ride to the castle was fairly uneventful, if you would count albus not even looking at scorpius uneventful. Rose did not count it as such and when the carriage stopped she held albus back. "Go on ahead", she told scorpius. Scorpius looked concerned but went on into the great hall anyways. Once scorpius was out of earshot rose turned to albus, "ok, what's wrong? You've been acting really weird throughout the entire ride here. Is everything alright?" albus looked really uncomfortable when he answered, "I'm fine, rose. I mean I'm not sick or anything. I promise, I'm fine. You know if I wasn't you'd be like the first to know." Rose didn't look convinced but nodded and the two of them entered the great hall.

When they entered the hall, rose headed off towards the Gryffindor table, while albus moved to the slytherin table and sat down next to scorpius. When he sat down, scorpius looked concerned, but didn't say anything. He just gave a reassuring smile. This smile did little to reassure albus. At that moment the sorting finished and Headmistress Professor Sprout stood up to great the students, "welcome all of you! Welcome back to another year of magical learning! I have a few notices, but they can wait until after the feast, dig in!" and at those word the plates in front of the students and teachers filled with delicious food.

Scorpius and albus started eating, and talking about their respective summers. While scorpius was talking about his summer, albus was actually looking at him, instead of the averted gaze from the train ride. Scorpius started to smile, even though he was talking about how boring his summer was. Albus noticed the smile, and smiled in return. 'I cant just ignore him. He's my best friend. But what am I going to do? I don't know what these feelings are,' thought albus as they walked down to the dormitory together. When they got to the dormitory, they said good night and got into bed. Scorpius closed the drapes around his bed and went to sleep, but albus couldn't sleep. His mind and heart were at war. He just lay there, looking at scorpius' silhouette, with tears in his eyes.

Chapter 4: despair

The next morning, albus awoke before the others in the dorm. He looked at his alarm clock and saw that it was 6:00am. 'One more hour before I need to see him,' albus thought. He got up, got dressed and went to the common room to wait. An hour later scorpius entered the common room to find albus sitting in one of the chairs reading one of his textbooks, his school bag at his feet. "Good morning, albus," scorpius said, walking over, "how long have you been up?" "Good morning. Only about an hour. Shall we get some breakfast?" albus said, standing up and putting his book away. The two of them stepped out from the common room entrance but before they could go any further, scorpius turned to albus with a worried look on his face, "albus, is everything alright? Lately you've seemed a little distant." Albus couldn't look scorpius in the eye, "yeah, I'm fine. I promise" scorpius was about to say something else when the wall behind them opened and their dorm mates, gregorius, Alexander, and nethaniel walked out. They nodded to albus and scorpius and bid them good morning. When they were gone, scorpius turned back to albus but albus cut in before he could say anything more, "come on. Lets get some breakfast." "Ok," scorpius said and they walked upstairs to the great hall. Outside the hall the met up with rose, who bid both of them good morning and the three of them walked in and sat at their respective tables, rose with the gryffindors, and scorpius and albus with the slytherins. Throughout the day albus tried his best to be sociable and normal, but on the inside he still felt something. He was starting to realize what it was, but he wasn't sure how to handle it.

During break between classes albus sat on a bench in the courtyard alone. Scorpius had gone to ask professor slughorn a question about their homework assignment, and rose had gone to the bathroom. So albus sat with his thoughts racing and his heart debating reality with his mind. "Hey, Al!" albus looked up and saw james walking over. "Hey, james," albus replied, not so enthusiastically. " Is everything ok? Why are you alone? Your slytherin boyfriend dump you?" james said, laughing. 'Oh no! He can't have figured out! No. No. He's just being james. He's just joking,' albus thought franticly. "What do you want?" albus asked. "What? A guy cant talk to his brother without it being suspicious?" james asked, with an attempt at an innocent face. Albus didn't buy it, "you haven't talked to me during school since I got sorted four years ago. And then every summer you would tease me about it. What do you want?" james looked a little shocked at the hostility shown by his brother, but before he could answer, rose showed up with scorpius. "What's going on here?" rose asked. James looked at albus, then rose, then scorpius. Then with a grin he said, "nothing, just chatting with al" and walked off.

As james walked away scorpius and rose turned to albus and saw the pain and dejection in his face. Scorpius sat down next to him and reached out to put his hand on albus's shoulder, he asked, "albus, are you ok? You look like something's bothering you. Please let us help." Albus looked up at scorpius, tears in his eyes, and stood up, "I'm fine scorpius. I just need some time alone." And with that he walked off, tears welling up and pangs in his heart.

That night scorpius walked into the dorm and saw albus sitting on the floor next to his bed, turned away from the door, crying silently. 'I cant fight this anymore, but I cant tell him. I just cant. There's no way he'd feel the same way. No one would understand! What am I going to do?' albus thought, tears streaming down his face.

Chapter 5: resolution

Scorpius lay watching the clouds. It was summer break and scorpius was not having any fun. He had a lot on his mind, and so he came to the back lawn to look at the clouds. It always used to help him think when he was younger. Not this time. This time, it wasn't a simple problem. He couldn't stop thinking about albus. He had liked albus since he first met him on the train to Hogwarts before their first year, but wasn't sure about his feelings. While he didn't show it he was in turmoil. He had learned form his father how to keep his emotions in check, but these emotions he couldn't control. It was like a war raging inside him. He didn't dare talk to albus about it, or even rose, his other best friend. He wasn't sure what these feelings were exactly, and he didn't know how his friends or, more importantly, his parents, would take the revelation. But after this last year, seeing how miserable albus was he finally realized what he was feeling. He liked albus. More than as a friend. But first he had to have a heart to heart with his parents.

At that moment there was a small _pop_ behind him. "Bibby, is that you?" he asked. "Yes, sir. Bibby is worrying about young master," replied the small house-elf as she stepped in front him, worry and concern in her eyes. Bibby was his mother's house-elf from when she was still young. Outside of those friends he had at Hogwarts, bibby was his closest friend in the whole world. His parents loved him, he knew, but they were some what distant. So he grew up with bibby as his friend. Bibby was the only living being that knew of the angst in his heart. The only one he talked to.

"You came just in time, bibby," he said, with a small smile on his face, "I've finally realized what my heart has been telling me. I need to talk to my parents. Are they home?" bibby looked torn. She was happy that scorpius had realized his feelings, but worried how the talk with his parents would go. "They are in the sitting room, young sir," she said. "Thank you bibby. For everything. I can't tell you how glad I am to have you," scorpius said, giving the elf a big hug. "You is always having your bibby," she replied with a pat on his head.

Chapter 6: Out

The babble of over a hundred voices pounded on their eardrums as they ate. Scorpius and Albus were sitting in the Great hall eating their breakfast. They were now in their fifth year, and already, just two months into the term they were studying like never before. Today however, no-one was thinking about tests or class, they were all looking forward to a good quidditch game that morning. Scorpius had come out to his parents this last summer. Now he was thinking of how to come out to his best friend, and the item of his affections. Albus, Scorpius noted, seemed more comfortable with himself then last year. Though by no means a complete turn around, he was still down. Scorpius was glad that al was feeling better; it really broke his heart to see his friend cry.

Albus walked down to the quidditch pitch with rose, scorpius was already there with the rest of the slytherin team. He played seeker. Rose found some good seats for them up high in the stands between the slytherin and Gryffindor stands. They both sat down just as the two teams marched onto the field, slytherin in green and silver, Gryffindor in gold and red. They both cheered for both houses. Not just because they thought the rivalry was stupid but also because there was scorpius on the slytherin team and james and rose's brother Hugo were both beaters for the Gryffindor team.

The match seemed to go on forever, each time one side would score the other team would catch up. They were completely even. Then about two hours into the match they saw scorpius zooming off. He had obviously spotted the snitch. The Gryffindor seeker was too far behind to catch up. Then just as scorpius grabbed the snitch, a bludger hit him in the small of the back, and he was knocked of the broom, over twenty feet above the ground. Albus watched in horror as he fell. Then professor sprout cast a charm that slowed his descent. Once he reached the ground madam hooch took him straight to the hospital wing. Everyone else was cheering slytherins victory, but albus was in turmoil. He just saw the his best friend and love almost die. He and rose ran down the steps of the stand to get to the bottom. Once they reached the bottom, rose and he split up. Rose, for some reason, ran to james, fury on her face, albus didn't see this. He was sprinting as fast as he could to the hospital wing. When he got there. The doors were closed. Madam pomfrey was still tending to scorpius. Albus sat outside, tears streaming down his face. He felt so scared. He didn't know what he would do his scorpius didn't make it.

At that moment rose turned up, panting hard and her fists shaking. She saw albus sitting outside, and walked over to him. "How is he?" she asked. Albus looked up, his eyes red from crying. "I don't know. She wont let me in." he looked scared, and rose thought she knew why, but she was going to respect his decision to not tell her until he was ready.

After what seemed like ages, the doors to the hospital wing finally opened and madam pomfrey let them in. scorpius was laying in the far bed, fast asleep. Albus and rose sat on either side of scorpius' bed. After a couple minutes of silence Albus asked rose, "by the way, where were you? I thought you were right behind me?" rose looked a little uncertain. "I went to kick james, arse." "Why?" asked albus. "Because he did a cheap hit. He hit the bludger at scorpius after he saw scorpius catch the snitch. He was upset at losing to slytherin. I told him, or yelled at him, I should say, that that was a dirty move and didn't expect it of him. He said that slytherin would have done it if they got the chance. I told him that slytherin played fair all game; he said that it was just as well, so they didn't have a chance. Then he said that it didn't make a difference he hit a malfoy, who everyone knows is scum. I pointed out that this malfoy happened to be best friends with his brother. Then he said that he thinks scorpius is trying to trick you and play you on. At that I kicked him in the nads and ran up here. I just barely escaped professor longbottoms notice."

"Rose…" started albus, his eyes a mixture of anger and gratitude. "Thank you" albus and rose both looked down. Scorpius had woken up and he was smiling gratefully at rose.

Albus was walking to the library to look up some facts for his ancient runes class. He noticed a lot of people looking at him funny and whispering as he passed. As he walked by a pair of 6th year gryffindors, he distinctly heard the words he was fearing the most. The gryffindors spotted him and smirked, "alright fag? You thinking of fucking me? You disgusting pervert!" and they cornered albus against the wall kicking him and stomping on his face. After they left, albus lay there on the cold stone floor, sobbing, his tears mixing with blood. "ALBUS! OH MY GOODNESS WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU! Albus looked up to see rose looking down at him with worry written all over her face. "We need to get you to the hospital wing, and tell professor sprout what happened," she said as she helped him walk. Albus couldn't answer, he was thinking about what the Gryffindor had called him. He had called him a fag. This could only mean one thing, the whole school knew. His life was over. He couldn't even speak to try to alleviate roses worries or answer madam pomfrey's questions. All he could do was cry.

Chapter 7: heart to heart

Albus lay in bed, tears streaming down his face. He was in the hospital wing with scorpius and rose. They were looking worried. Albus looked up at his two friends, "I'm sorry you had to find out this way." Rose smiled at him, "don't worry about it, to be honest I kind of figured it out already. But that doesn't change how I think of you!" she added when she noticed albus' face drop. At this scorpius put his hand on albus' arm, sending his heart aflutter, "albus…"but albus pulled away, tears in his eyes. "We'll let you rest," rose finished for him. As she closed the door to the hospital wing behind her and scorpius, she turned to scorpius and said, "I know how you feel about him." He looked at her slightly shocked, "I thought you would. But he keeps pulling away! What can I do?" "I understand but think about it, he wasn't ready to tell it to us, his closest friends, and now he was forcibly outed to the whole school! And what just happened is only justifying in his mind that everyone hates him," rose said.

"But I don't hate him! I love him! But he cant see it," Scorpius said, dejectedly.

Rose put her arm around him consolingly, "I know he feels the same about you. But until he can accept it to himself, all we can do is be there for him, show him that he still has us, that he's not alone." Scorpius looked at rose with a hard look in his eyes, "rose, we need to find out who told the school." "I think I might know who it was. And I don't like it," rose responded, an equally stern look in her eyes.

Albus watched the door close behind his two best friends, thinking about the look in scorpius' eyes 'he's just feeling sorry for me. He doesn't like me back.' Though there was a part of his mind that kept telling him that scorpius did love him, he kept shutting it out, not really sure why was doing it. This argument kept continuing in albus' head until madam pomfrey came in with a potion. "Oh did your friends leave already? I was thinking I would have to kick them out," she said as she poured the potion in a cup. Albus didn't say anything he just drank the potion with pained expression. "They had to go, they don't want to be near me," albus said with a dejected look on his face. "Hmm… I don't think so. It seems to me that they really care about you. They were really worried when you were hurt. Especially that Mr. malfoy," madam pomfrey said with a knowing look. Albus looked up hopefully, "you think so?" "Indeed I do, this is not my first time seeing love," she responded kindly. Albus' eyes lit up for a moment but then went out, "even if what you say is true, I've ruined everything by being a coward and pushing him away. He'll never want to look at me again." Madam pomfrey looked sadly at her patient. She didn't respond. He wouldn't listen to her. He would need to see for himself that the one he loves loves him back.

Chapter 8: breaking point

"We can't just do nothing! Merlin! Rose, if this continues he's going to get hurt! And more than just the bullying he's already receiving!"

Scorpius and rose were sitting in an unused classroom on the ground floor. It had been a couple months since albus' forced outing, and the harassment, taunts and bullying had not subsided. If anything they've gotten worse, and albus has withdrawn more and more from his friends. "I know, scorpius, I'm worried too! But what can we do? He won't talk to us. I talked with james about it. He said he didn't mean to out al, he made an offhand remark about how close you and al were and his girlfriend, for some reason best known to her, thought the whole school needed to know. You know how daisy brown is; she's such a gossip. I confronted her about it in the common room and she said she was sorry. She tried to take it back, but too late. The damage is done. I know james has been trying to talk to him, but if we think he's avoiding us, he positively hostile to james! He blames james for all this," rose responded, with a look of resignation on her face.

While the scorpius and rose were in the classroom talking, james was trying to do the same with albus in the courtyard, "albus! Al! Come on! Listen to me!" albus turned around, eyes blazing, "NO! Why should I? You obviously don't care about me! All my life you've picked on me! Now you've ruined my life! you've made me a pariah!" james was stunned, "al," he said, in a small voice, "regardless of how I act, and how much I may tease you, you are my brother. And I love you. I don't care if you're gay straight, wizard or muggle! We're family." "Family?!" albus screamed derisively, " family? Is that what family does? Condemns? Hurts? Puts down? Ignore? Betray? No! That's not what family does! I don't want to see you!" james looked hurt, "al, we're brothers" "I don't have a brother!" and with that albus stormed off, leaving james in the courtyard.

Scorpius was walking to the great hall for dinner when he heard someone call his name, "scorpius! Hey, wait up!" he turned and saw, to his surprise, james running to catch up to him. "Hello james," he said james caught up to him and look him in the eyes and said, "I need your help." "Me? You're asking a slytherin to help you?" "Damn it, scorpius! This is more important than any stupid inter house rivalry! It's about albus. I'm really worried about him. Has he talked to you at all?" scorpius saw the sincerity in james' eyes and decided to drop the defense, "no. Even though we share a dorm, and we're in almost all the same classes. I've tried talking to him but he just pushes me away." James looked upset at this news. "Well I'm really worried. If he does open up, please be there for him. He's made it quite clear that wants nothing to do with me." Scorpius put his hand on james' shoulder consolingly, " I will." And with that they parted.

Another month and a half had passed with albus getting bullied more and more, and neither james, rose or scorpius could get close enough to help him. The bullies always picked moments when he was alone. 'I don't know if I can hold out any longer,' albus thought, after his most recent beating and discharge from the infirmary, 'the whole school has made it plain, that they don't want me, that they would prefer it if I were dead. Maybe if I was then I'll finally be free from this pain." Albus walked with his head hung and his eyes teary, past the great hall where the rest of the school was having dinner.

Inside the great hall, rose and james were sitting at the Gryffindor table eating silently, both thinking the same thing. "Hey james?" rose asked, her eyes scanning the slytherin table. "Yeah?" james replied. "Where's al? He's not at the slytherin table," rose said, getting worried. "What?! Where could he be?" james said, now getting worried too. "I don't know! We better look for him. Scorpius is at quidditch practice, I'll go and tell him," rose said getting up from the table. " I'll look for al," james replied following her out the doors.

"Albus!, AL! WHERE ARE YOU?!" james shouted running through the corridors franticly searching for his brother. "come on! Where are you?!" after several minutes of searching james, came to the entrance to the astronomy tower. "no. no he can't! He wouldn't!" he said taking the steps two at a time.

Rose was sprinting across the lawns in a mad dash to find scorpius. After only a minute or two she nearly collided with scorpius halfway between the castle and the quidditch pitch. "whoa! Rose slow down! What's going on?" scorpius asked, concern and confusion written all over his face. "its albus. We don't know where he is! He didn't show up at dinner. James went looking for him. we have to find him! I have a bad feeling about this," rose replied franticly. At the moment they both heard a voice yelling "NO! ALBUS!" they both turned and looked toward the astronomy tower, they saw a shape fall from the ledge. Rose gasped, and scorpius and zoomed off on his broomstick.

James reached the top of the tower and stepped out onto the rampart. There standing on the ledge was albus. "albus, what are you doing? Come down!" james said, fear overwhelming him. Albus looked sadly at his brother, "I cant. I cant. Everyone's made it crystal clear that they don't care about me. I can't take the pain anymore." "albus," james said softly keeping his eyes on his younger brother, "we don't hate you. Me and rose and scorpius. Not to mention lily mum and dad. Please come down?" albus was sobbing uncontrollably, "I'm sorry." And he jumped. "NO! ALBUS!"

Chapter 9: it gets better

Albus returned to consciousness with a throbbing pain in his head and all over his body. 'is this it? Did I die?' he thought weakly. Then he heard voices from near him. He started to feel the pillow underneath his head and the blankets around his body. 'no, I didn't. this is the hospital wing,' he thought. He opened his eyes slowly taking in his surroundings. "what happened?" he mumbled softly. The people standing around his bed, jumped and looked at him worriedly. "albus," scorpius said, "how are you feeling?" "like I just wrestled a troll, and lost," he grinned slightly, "what happened?" rose looked at him uncertainly, "y-you tried to kill your self. James found you on the astronomy tower. He tried to get you to come down but you jumped. Scorpius saved you. He saw you jump and caught you on his broom." The events of the past night all rushed back to albus, along with the anguish and pain of the past year. He started to cry. He looked around him and saw rose, scorpius, james, lily, and Hugo all sitting around him with worry written all over their faces. Then while looking at the faces of those he loved he realized what rose and scorpius had been trying to tell him all this time. He wasn't alone. He had friends and family. And scorpius. He looked up at james and said, "james, I'm sorry. For what I said. I treated you horribly. Please forgive me?" "of course. You're my brother. No matter how we treat each other, no matter what you say or who you are, I love you. That goes for lily here also," he said hugging lily. Albus smiled, then looked at scorpius, who was right next to him. "scorpius," he said, " I-I love you." Scorpius broke into a huge grin, "I love you too."

"out! He needs rest!" madam pomfrey came bustling over from her office, " he's just woken up from a traumatic ordeal. He needs rest!" scorpius turned to the nurse and said, "he's been resting for almost 24 hours. It's already past dinner time. Can I please take him for a walk? I think the fresh air would do him good. No-ones going to bother us, everyone in the common rooms." Madam pomfrey seemed to consider it. When she saw the sincerity in his eyes and in albus' she agreed, "ok. As long as you take it easy. If anything happens, come straight back." Scorpius grinned at albus, as james and Hugo helped him out of bed and into his clothes.

Scorpius and albus walked all around the grounds hand in hand, not saying a word. After a while of walking they came to the quidditch pitch. Scorpius led them on to the field as the sun was starting to set. When they reached the center of the field, scorpius turned to face albus. He looked into albus' eyes and took both his hands in his own. "albus," he said softly, "I love you." Albus felt so elated, he responded, "I love you too scorpius. I have since first year." The two looked into each other eyes for a good minute before scorpius drew closer. Albus heart caught in his chest. Was this really happening? This wasn't a dream? Scorpius leaned in and kissed him. Albus' heart exploded with relief and joy. This cant be a dream, it feels much too good. He returned the kiss. The two stood there in an embrace as the sunlight started to fade, but that didn't matter. They had each other.


End file.
